New Student Residency Requirement

Students who entered Emerson fall 2017 and after

New first time students (freshmen) entering Emerson College in a fall semester are required to live in College housing for their first six semesters at Emerson College. Housing is not guaranteed for students after completion of the residency requirement. New first time students (freshmen) entering Emerson College in a spring semester are required to live in College housing for their first five semesters at Emerson College. Housing is not guaranteed for students after completion of the residency requirement.

Transfer students are able to complete a non-guarantee housing application. This application places a student within the non-guarantee housing pool in the event we are able to offer the student a space on campus. Should any spaces be available on campus in the final weeks prior to opening, students with a completed non-guaranteed housing application will be housed in these spaces. We anticipate less than 2% of those students will be housed. The non- guaranteed housing application should not act as a students primary plan but
rather a back up plan.

Students returning from a Leave of Absence (LOA) will be offered on-campus housing pending availability and must contact OHRL during their re-admittance process.

Housing contracts extend through the full academic year (fall and spring semesters), and students living on campus in the fall semester are obligated to remain in on-campus housing for the fall and spring semesters. All resident students are required to purchase one of the College-sponsored meal plans.

Residency Requirement

Students who entered Emerson Jan 2017 or earlier

Freshmen entering college for the first time in the fall semester prior to 2017 are required to live on campus for their first four semesters at Emerson College, and may apply to live on campus for subsequent semesters pending availability of housing. Freshmen entering College for the first time in a spring semester prior to 2018 are required to live on campus for their first three semesters at Emerson College, and may apply to live on campus for subsequent semesters pending availability of housing.

Transfer students entering Emerson College will be offered on-campus housing pending availability. If a new transfer student wants to be considered for on-campus housing, he or she should submit a $500 enrollment deposit and put their name in the housing alternate pool on eCommon. When considering transfer students for housing their year of graduation from high school is taken into consideration. Transfer students who graduated from high school fewer than two years from their enrollment date at Emerson will be given priority pending availability of housing.

Students returning from a Leave of Absence (LOA) will be offered on-campus housing pending availability.

Housing contracts extend through the full academic year (fall and spring semesters). Students living on campus in the fall semester are obligated to remain in on-campus housing for the fall and spring semesters. In addition, all residential students are required to purchase one of the College-sponsored meal plans.

External Programs or Approved Study Abroad Program

Freshmen and sophomores (students who entered Emerson College as incoming freshmen and have not yet completed their residency requirement) attending an Emerson external program or approved study abroad program are required to live in on-campus housing during the semester they are attending classes on the Boston campus.

Juniors or Seniors attending an Emerson external program or approved study abroad program will be given priority to be housed off of the alternate pool during the semester they are attending classes on the Boston campus opposite the semester they are participating in the offsite program.

The Office of Housing and Residence Life will contact all students who are attending an external program or approved study abroad program during the fall semester regarding housing options for the spring semester.

The College will not be able to provide on-campus housing for the majority of students beyond their fourth semester in college (which includes semesters attended at previous colleges). If students wish to be considered to live on- campus for their junior or year they will have an opportunity to place their name in an alternate pool. Should any spaces be available on campus in the final weeks prior to opening students in the alternate pool will be housed in these spaces. We anticipate less than 2% of those in the pool will be housed. This alternate pool should not act as a students primary plan but rather a back up plan.

Exemptions

Exemptions to the residency requirement may be granted by the Office of Housing and Residence Life (OHRL). Students seeking an exception must submit a Request for Exemption to Residency Requirement Form along with supporting documentation. Students are expected to pay room and board fees in full by published payment deadlines unless they have received a residency requirement exemption from the OHRL. If a student’s request for exemption from the residency requirement is granted after payment is made, he/she will be issued a refund. A separate Request for Exemption to Residency Requirement Form is required for each year an exception is being sought. For consideration, the form must be received by OHRL no later than June 1 for new students scheduled to be in housing for the fall semester and no later than December 1 for new students admitted for the spring semester.

Exemptions are typically granted when:

The student lives at home with an immediate family member over the age of 25 years old. If the student changes residence, it is her/his responsibility to promptly notify the Office of Housing and Residence Life.

The student is able to demonstrate a financial hardship that would otherwise prevent him or her from attending Emerson.

The student has a disability that precludes living in a residence hall. Documentation of the student’s disability is required from a qualified professional who has direct knowledge of the student and his or her condition, e.g., physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, etc. This documentation must meet the guidelines described in the Student Accessibility Services Office statement of policies and procedures found on the Student Accessibility Services page.

The student is married, in a registered domestic partnership that is recognized by the state of Massachusetts, and/or is a parent with whom one or more dependent children reside.

The student is 25 years of age or older prior to September 1 of the academic year in question.

The student has served in the military as verified by a discharge certificate.

Beyond the Residency Requirement

During the spring semester of each academic year, the College administers a housing selection process for the following academic year. Students will be automatically assigned housing selection appointment numbers based on their residency requirement as defined above.

Students who wish to be considered for on-campus living past their residency requirement will have an opportunity to place their name in an alternate pool. Should any spaces be available on campus in the final weeks prior to opening students in the alternate pool will be housed in these spaces. We anticipate less than 2% of those in the pool will be housed. This alternate pool should not act as a students primary plan but rather a back up plan.

Failure to settle Emerson College accounts in full, obtain required vaccinations, or abide by the Code of Conduct can result in the loss of student housing. Students who are not able to fulfill the residency requirement due to their own actions, including failure to comply with College policies, may also be dismissed from the College.